Farmstrong: North Canterbury farmer Geoff Spark champions rural wellbeing

Canterbury dairy farmer Geoff Spark. Photo / Famstrong

Content brought to you by Farmstrong.

Monthly, here on The Country, we catch up with a Farmstrong farmer, someone who is doing the right thing when it comes to looking after the top paddock. This month, Rowena Duncum spoke to North Canterbury farmer Geoff Spark.

Geoff Spark farms two 700-cow dairy farms and is also involved in his family farming operation in Rangiora that milks another 600 cows.

Being involved with Farmstrong and the Rural Support Trust, The Country’s Rowena Duncum asked him why he became involved with both.

While he was shoulder-tapped to be on the Rural Support Trust, which he was happy to be involved in, Spark said he became involved with Farmstrong when he was looking for a charity to give the funds given to him from running a triathlon on his property.

“I love the saying, ‘live well, farm well,’ the motto that Farmstrong runs by, and just felt that was the charity that I wanted to support,” Spark said.

“They are both doing a wonderful job in the rural community.”

Spark was also involved in a recent "Harvesting Health" event in Rangiora Canterbury, which over 140 people attended.

Listen below:

The evening was hosted by North Canterbury Rural Support Trust, with support from Farmstrong, Mainpower, Fonterra, Rabobank and FMG.

At the event, practical advice was passed on on how farmers and growers could manage the challenges of farming and keeping well.

The event featured well-known figures from the local sporting scene, including Crusaders’ team manager Shane Fletcher who spoke about managing peak-performing teams; John Roche, lead physiotherapist for the Crusaders, who shared how exercise positively influences health and wellbeing and Jo Hopkinson-Haigh, a physiotherapist and mindfulness expert, who specialises in breathing techniques that reduce stress, anxiety and chronic pain.

Topping off the speaking roster was Otago high country sheep and beef farmer Jack Cocks.

Cocks has spent the past eleven years recovering from a life-threatening brain aneurysm and went through multiple surgeries.

He subsequently completed a Kellogg’s study of farmers who’d thrived in the face of a major adversity.

Cocks has given more than thirty presentations, here and overseas, on how farmers can stay resilient and “thrive in the face of adversity” and regularly speaks on behalf of Farmstrong.

“It was a really positive event that was all about providing people with tips on health and wellbeing, nothing new, just presented with a different approach, practical and hands on,” Spark said.

Duncum asked, “What were some of the key messages that were provided for farmers to take home and adapt into their own situations?”

“The importance of connections and being connected,” Spark said.

“It is really important for farmers to get off-farm, enjoy some social connection with other farmers, exercise and adopt some good practical breathing exercises that will help reduce stress, all important techniques that will help your health and well-being.”